Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-06-17

LANcAsrER, JUHE 10. 1851.


Il xhb war dag incident II very amusing,
- ~ state Of fiatness in which the presi-
- has laid and left the Republican
noWlsu and Grand Army patriots is most
o1fgying and beautiful to see. A great big
rnD,hag was in course Of preparation and
) full had had been turned on with ex-
poetation Of tremendous explosion that
would send Cleveland and his Democratic
y1gty Ky high In quick metre. 1t is just
~ funniest thing Of the season-these fire.
vsris that did not 60 off, and not the
1oast amusing part OF it is to read the fierce
Gsuunciations OF the president literally
spread through Republican newspaper
columns, alongside the presidents letter
directing that the flags should be left in
thsir boxes for Congress to deal with.
And then the eagerness with which the
Republican politicians seized the pretext
- make party capital, and how they
huGtled the governors into sending tele-
grams Of protest to the president and
hiring lawyers to enjoin him. They fairly
IN Over one another in their eagerness to
= The arst in the fray for the flags.
Tho impetuosity Of General Fairchild,
IT, hsad Of that very valuable organization
of tho Republican party, known as the
Grand Army, was emulated 30 closely by
IL governors that it is clear, at first sight,
that the Republican politicians were sure
that they had found their opportunity and
that It was certain shot to fire at the
president.
10 be sure these flags have been in
course Of distribution for years, and every
Northern state or regiment that wanted
ono had 1t handed out by the war depart
ment; and it is true that the order now
given was for the distribution of all the
fags to their original owners, Confederate
q Union. Itis true, too, that the wal
Z q eoxefy and the country reunited, and
Confederate and Federal living together il
friendly unity and it is true that it mat
ten little where the captured flags arr
put that now repose in boxes in the wa
department attic or cellar.
But it mattered great deal in party
sense, the Republicans thought, and would
make capital political timber.
The president, who has won the reputa
tion of sleeping always with one eye open
politically, was not the goose the Republi'
can boys took him for, and they were not SC
smart - they thought they were. When
hs ssw the hubbnb they were raising, he
calmly took the wind out of their sails and
left them in ludicrous becalmment, upon
The broad seas, with the eyes of the world
upon them, as the frantic claimants-for
political purposes Only-of these boxed up
Aags, that the Grand Army Republicans
have cared 30 little for that they have been
content that they should lie in the war de-.
partment cellars.
The neat and complete way in which the
president has blocked this game has oul
heartiest applause. 1t was worth while tc
4 have the original order issued and the row
raised, to see the president turn on tn,
1 quenching hose. Those loyal governor
look like lot of chickens with their head
cut Oh, jumping about in q barnyard ant
fhe aerce warrior, who invoked palsy OF
ths president, has very bad case of palsy
himself, on this day of our lord.
And now it will be in order for the
president to call upon the loyal governors
70 surrender the flags they have been given
without authority, by the war depart,
ment, since only Congress can dispose Of
them. They should 60 back to join their
precious company in the war department
attic.